


Above All This Bustle

by katayla



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Community: hs_bingo, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-11
Updated: 2010-12-11
Packaged: 2017-10-13 15:25:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/138812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katayla/pseuds/katayla
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Buffy and Angel talk about her reputation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Above All This Bustle

**Author's Note:**

> Fulfills [](http://community.livejournal.com/hs_bingo/profile)[**hs_bingo**](http://community.livejournal.com/hs_bingo/) prompt "reputations."

"It's not like I _care_ ," Buffy said to Angel.

"Uh-huh." He paced beside her, trying to keep his eyes on the shadows since she didn't appear interested in watching for vampires.

"But everyone thinks I'm scary! I'm not scary, am I?" She turned to Angel, stake in her hand.

"Er, well."

She ignored him and began walking again. "And then there are all the rumors about you!"

"Wait, people are talking about me?" Angel frowned.

"Ooh, stay away from that Buffy, with the mysterious older boyfriend."

"I'm not mysterious."

Buffy sat down on a grave. "I justno high school girl wants a bad reputation."

"I'm not sure I understand." He dropped down next to her.

"Okay, it's like vampires, right? You either want people to completely ignore you or to think you're totally awesome." Buffy frowned. "Or, no. I guess, if you're a vampire, you _want_ people to think you're scary."

"It helps." He knew he'd have a lot more problems if people didn't remember certain stories about Angelus. Stories he wished he could forget.

"So, see? That's what high school is like."

"But . . . I thought you didn't want people to think you're scary."

"I don't!" She put her stake down and turned to face him.

"So you want people to think you're _not_ scary."

"Yes! Or . . . no. I want them to think I'm scary, but not _that_ kind of scary." She frowned again. "Now you're confusing me."

"I just don't understand why it's so important." He'd never had to attend high school. Sometimes, he wasn't sure he quite understood the concept.

"Now you sound like Giles."

"You're the slayer," Angel said. "That's more important than . . . whatever you're talking about."

Buffy sighed. "Yes, I know. Important responsibility, solemn duty, blahblahblah. Heard the lecture, know the lesson."

"But it matters to you. High school."

"I was popular at my old school, Angel. Maybe people didn't always like me, but at least they . . . they understood me, I guess."

"Oh." Angel watched her as she slumped against the gravestone. "I suppose I don't help."

She'd mentioned people talking about him. He tried to stay out of her daily life, but he could only keep away so much. And maybe his mere existence was enough. Enough to make her life even more different than it already was, different even from past slayers.

She smiled at him and touched his cheek. "No, Angel. You are one part of my reputation I would keep."

"Vampire and all?"

"Yes." She pressed her forehead against his and then pulled back. "Maybe youand Gilesare right."

"That saving the world is more important than high school?"

"You make me sound selfish."

"Not selfish," Angel said. "Human."

"And the slayer is above such things?"

"Being human is a good thing, Buffy. Caring is a good thing." It made her better than the slayers before. There were so many slayers who fell before anyone had bothered to learn their names. Buffy would never be one of those. Already, vampires and demons talked of "Buffy" more than "the slayer."

"But?"

"Pick your battles."

Buffy sighed. "Do you ever miss being just _normal_?"

"I haven't been normal for a very long time." So long it was hard to remember. And Liam-the-human wasn't worth remembering. Liam's actions didn't haunt him like Angelus's did, but maybe they should.

She looked at him for a long moment. "No, I suppose not."

She sighed and lay her head onto his shoulder. "At least we can be freaks together."  



End file.
